Guide to implementation of phytosanitary standards in forestry

Transcription

1 FAO FORESTRY PAPER ISSN Guide to implementation of phytosanitary standards in forestry

2 iii Contents Foreword Acknowledgements Acronyms vii viii xi 1. Introduction Pest threats to the world s forests Protecting the world s forests About this guide 2 2. Trade in forest commodities Forest commodities Import of forest commodities Export of forest commodities Good practices for forest health protection Integrated pest management for forestry Forest operations Forest nurseries Planted forests Naturally regenerated forests Sawmills and post-harvest treatments Product transportation and distribution centres Using a systems approach to manage pest risks in forests Challenges in preventing pest spread through woodfuels Challenges in preventing pest spread through plants for planting Challenges in preventing intentionally introduced tree species from becoming pests Phytosanitary concepts simplified The International Plant Protection Convention and international phytosanitary standards Pest risk analysis Regulation of wood packaging material Pest management Systems approaches Surveillance Pest reporting 51

3 iv 4.8 Establishment and recognition of pest free areas and areas of low pest prevalence Inspection Phytosanitary certification Non-compliance notification Phytosanitary import regulatory systems The way forward 57 References 59 Annex 1 Examples of forest pest introductions and their impacts 63 Annex 2 Glossary of terms 83 Annex 3 International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) 95 Annex 4 Where to go for more information 101

4 v Figures 1 Change in global exports of roundwood and sawnwood Steps in the import/export process for forest products 13 Boxes 1 Logs: an example of the relationship between pest risk and phytosanitary import requirements 6 2 Forest commodities, their pest risks and risk management options 7 3 Examples of phytosanitary measures that may be applied to forest commodities 11 4 Planning and operational practices that minimize pest presence in forests 20 5 Good nursery management practices that minimize pest presence 22 6 Good planting practices that minimize pest presence 25 7 Good practices for naturally regenerated forests that minimize pest presence 27 8 Good practices for sawmills and post-harvesting treatments to reduce pest spread 29 9 Good practices for product transportation and distribution centres to reduce pest spread Examples of forest pest risk management measures that may be included in a systems approach Volume of woodfuels traded internationally (average 2001 and 2002) Examples of intentionally introduced tree species becoming pests Emergency response and exit strategy for the introduction of Dendroctonus micans in the United Kingdom Application of a systems approach for the export of untreated logs Examples of pest reporting in Europe and North America The movement of regulated commodities between pest free areas 52

5 vii Foreword New threats to forest health from insects, pathogens and other non-indigenous pests are emerging due to growing global trade and the exploitation of new market opportunities. Habitat modification and increased international pest movements associated with the trade of plants, plant products and other articles such as containers, soil, industrial equipment and personal baggage have all contributed to the spread of pests both within and between countries. Management of pests and preventing their spread plays a key role in helping ensure forests remain healthy, meeting sustainable forestry objectives. National plant protection organizations (NPPOs), designated under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), have historically dealt mostly with agricultural crops. In recent years, however, forest pests have become a more prominent concern and increased communication between forest sector personnel and the NPPOs is needed. All sectors in forestry need to understand what the IPPC is, and how NPPOs work so that the forest sector can play its part in implementing International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) and help preserve forest health. Understanding the content of ISPMs, which target phytosanitary experts, is not always easy for foresters and differences in phytosanitary and forestry terminology often needs explanation. FAO therefore initiated a multistakeholder activity to prepare this guide to provide the forest sector with clear and concise guidance on forest health practices, including plain language descriptions of the ISPMs and suggestions for their improved national implementation. The guide has been prepared through a consultative process involving an international group of scientists, phytosanitary authorities and forest sector representatives and is supported by the IPPC Secretariat at FAO. Understanding and implementing the ISPMs is vital in maintaining forest health and vitality, particularly with expanded global trade increasing the risk of new pest introductions and factors such as local climatic change increasing the possibility of establishment of pests in new areas. This guide will help develop this understanding and assist policy-makers, planners and managers to improve communication between agencies at a national level and apply these standards in the forest sector. Jose Antonio Prado Director, Forest Assessment, Management and Conservation Division FAO Forestry Department

6 viii Acknowledgements FAO has produced this publication with financial support from the FAO-Finland Forestry Programme Sustainable forest management in a changing climate and in collaboration with an international group of scientists, phytosanitary authorities and forest sector representatives, and extends sincere thanks to all the group s members and their organizations for their dedication and time. Gillian Allard (FAO), Kerry Britton (USDA-Forest Service) and Beverly Moore (consultant) coordinated the development of the publication with text drafted by and input from: Hesham A. Abuelnaga, International Trade Specialist, Africa, Middle East and Russia, Office of Scientific and Technical Affairs, Foreign Agricultural Service USDA, United States of America Eric Allen, Research Scientist, Pacific Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Canada Roddie Burgess, Head of Plant Health Service, Forestry Commission, United Kingdom Hugh F. Evans, Head, Forest Research Wales, United Kingdom Edson Tadeu Iede, Forestry Researcher, Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Florestas, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa), Brazil Su See Lee, Head, Forest Health and Conservation Programme, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) and Vice President, IUFRO, Malaysia Keng-Yeang Lum, Chief Scientist, CABI Southeast and East Asia Regional Centre, Malaysia Sarah Ahono H. Olembo, Technical Advisor, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards and Food Safety, African Union Commission, Ethiopia Andrei Orlinski, Scientific Officer, European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO), France Shiroma Sathyapala, Team Manager, Plants Imports and Exports Group, Border Standards Directorate, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, New Zealand Shane Sela, Standard Setting, IPPC Secretariat, FAO, Italy Adnan Uzunovic, Research Scientist Mycologist, FPInnovations, Canada Brian Zak, Phytosanitary and Market Access Specialist, Canada Wood Group, Canada Thanks also to members of the IPPC Secretariat, in particular, Brent Larson, Standards Officer, and Ana Peralta, Implementation Officer. Thanks are extended to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Office of Scientific and Technical Affairs/Plant Division and to the European Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) for translation of this guide into Arabic and Russian, respectively.

7 Many thanks are extended to those who assisted with the preparation or review of the publication including: Albania: Kristaq Nicaj, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Protection Argentina: Juan C. Corley, INTA EEA Bariloche; Vicky Paula Klasmer, Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA); Raúl Villaverde, Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Alimentos (SAGPyA) Australia: Cheryl Grgurinovic, Biosecurity Australia; Simon Lawson, Queensland Department of Primary Industries; Glynn Maynard, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry Belgium: Marc Michielsen, CHEP Bhutan: Dhan B. Dhital, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests Bosnia and Herzegovina: Sabaheta Cutuk, BiH Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations; Tarik Trestic, University of Sarajevo Brazil: Leonardo Rodrigues Barbosa, Camilla Fediuk de Castro and Susete do Rocio Chiarello Penteado, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa); Carlos José Mendes, Parana State Association of Forestry Companies Canada: Pierre Bernier, Roxanne Comeau and Jacques Régnière, Natural Resources Canada; Colette Breuil, University of British Columbia; John Huey, Sundance Forest Industries Chile: Aida Baldini Urrutia, Corporacion Nacional Forestal (CONAF) China: Xu Fuyuan, Forestry Academy of Jiangsu Province; Luo Youqing, Beijing Forestry University; Wang Yuejin, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine Science Colombia: Olga Patricia Pinzon F., Universidad Distrital Francisco Jose de Caldas Denmark: Hans Peter Ravn, University of Copenhagen Fiji: Viliami Fakava, Secretariat of the Pacific Community Germany: Thomas Schroeder, Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants India: Nitin Kulkarni, Tropical Forest Research Institute Indonesia: Sri Rahayu, Gadjah Mada University Italy: Davide Paradiso, Consorzio Servizi Legno-Sughero Japan: Kazuyoshi Futai, Kyoto University; Yuji Kitahara and Motoi Sakamura, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF); Hayato Masuya and Takeshi Toma, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute; Yuichi Yamaoka, University of Tsukuba Kyrgyzstan: Almaz Orozumbekov, Kyrgyz National Agrarian University Lithuania: Vaclovas Kucinskas, State Plant Protection Service of Lithuania Malaysia: Laurence G. Kirton, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) Netherlands: Nico M. Horn, Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality New Zealand: Eckehard Brockerhoff and Lindsay Bulman, Scion; Bill Dyck, Bill Dyck Ltd; Gordon Hosking, Hosking Forestry Ltd; Allanah Irvine and Shane Olsen, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Philippines: Marcial C. Amaro, Jr., Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau ix

8 x Russian Federation: Oleg Kulinich, All-Russian Center of Plant Quarantine Seychelles: Samuel Brutus, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Slovenia: Jošt Jakša, Slovenia Forest Service; Dusan Jurc, Slovenian Forestry Institute South Africa: Solomon Gebeyehu, USDA-Foreign Agricultural Service; Michael J. Wingfield, University of Pretoria Spain: Gerardo Sanchez, Direccion General del Medio Natural y Politica Forestal Sri Lanka: Upul Subasinghe, University of Sri Jayewardenepura Sudan: Nafisa H. Baldo, Agricultural Research Corporation Switzerland: Daniel Rigling, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: Kiril Sotirovski, University Sv. Kiril i Metodij Timor-Leste: Manuel da Silva, Ministry of Agriculture Trinidad and Tobago: Mario Fortune, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources Uganda: James Epila-Otara and Peter Kiwuso, National Agricultural Research Organisation Ukraine: Valentyna Meshkova, Ukrainian Research Institute of Forestry and Forest Melioration United Kingdom: Andrew Gaunt, Food and Environment Research Agency; Andy Gordon, European Forest Nursery Association; Andrew Leslie, University of Cumbria; Ian Wright, National Trust United Republic of Tanzania: Ismail K. Aloo, Forest and Beekeeping Division United States of America: Fred Ascherl, Rio Tinto Minerals; Marilyn Buford, Phil Cannon, Robert A. Haack, Andrew M. Liebhold, Michael L. McManus, Carlos Rodriguez-Franco, Noel F. Schneeberger, Borys M. Tkacz and Shira Yoffe, USDA-Forest Service; Bruce Britton, University of Georgia; Faith Campbell, The Nature Conservancy; William Ciesla, Forest Health Management International; Edgar Deomano, National Wooden Pallet and Container Association (NWPCA); Peyton Ferrier, USDA-Economics Research Service; Deborah Fravel, USDA- Agricultural Research Service Uruguay: Ines Ares, Ministry of Livestock Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP); Nora Telechea, Consultant CABI: Matthew Cock and Marc Kenis, CABI Europe, Switzerland; Roger Day, CABI Africa, Kenya European Commission: Robert Baayen and Ana Suarez Meyer, Belgium; Lars Christoffersen and Bernd Winkler, Ireland International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA): Danny Coyne, United Republic of Tanzania FAO: Khaled Alrouechdi, Graciela Andrade, Jim Carle, Roberto Cenciarelli, Arvydas Lebedys, Joachim Lorbach, Felice Padovani, Andrea Perlis and Maria Ruiz-Villar, Rome; Jorge Meza, FAO Representation, Paraguay; Alemayehu Refera, Subregional Office for Eastern Africa, Ethiopia; Mohamed Saket, Regional Office for the Near East, Egypt

9 xi Acronyms CBD CITES CPM IFQRG IPM IPPC ISPMs IUFRO NPPO PFA PFPP PRA RPPO SPS TPFQ WPM WTO Convention on Biological Diversity Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Commission on Phytosanitary Measures International Forestry Quarantine Research Group integrated pest management International Plant Protection Convention International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures International Union of Forest Research Organizations national plant protection organization pest free area pest free place of production pest risk analysis regional plant protection organization WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Technical Panel on Forest Quarantine wood packaging materials World Trade Organization

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11 1 1. Introduction It is very important to protect the world s forests from harm. The global forest area is just over 4 billion hectares, which represents 31 percent of the total land area (FAO, 2010a). Forests are important global resources that provide a wide range of environmental, economic and social benefits. They provide a variety of valuable products, such as timber, fuelwood, fibre and other wood and non-wood forest products, and contribute to the livelihoods of rural communities. They provide vital ecosystem services, such as combating desertification, protecting watersheds, regulating climate, and maintaining biodiversity, and play an important role in preserving social and cultural values. Forests can also play a significant role in addressing global climate change concerns. For example, they absorb carbon from the atmosphere and store it in trees and forest products. Properly managed forests can also provide wood, a renewable alternative to fossil fuels. Conserving overall forest area, replanting harvested forests, and managing forests to maintain vigorous growth are all important ways to reduce carbon dioxide accumulation in the atmosphere. 1.1 PEST THREATS TO THE WORLD S FORESTS The health and vitality of the world s forest ecosystems are affected by a range of natural disturbance agents including pests, 1 drought and fire. While disturbance is part of the natural succession processes in forests, it can often limit the ability to meet forest management objectives. A wide range of pests can have negative impacts on forests and the forest sector. Outbreaks of forest insects alone damage some 35 million hectares of forests annually, primarily in the temperate and boreal zones (FAO, 2010a). Indigenous pest species may become a significant problem, particularly when they reach outbreak populations on introduced tree species. Sometimes even more damage is caused by non-indigenous or introduced pests, which have been accidentally introduced through trade in forest products, live plants and other commodities. Since non-indigenous pests did not evolve with the forests they are affecting, their impacts can sometimes be devastating. In such situations, introduced pests may not have natural enemies that normally keep populations in balance. The new host trees may have insufficient or no resistance to introduced pests. Climate change also appears to be influencing pest establishment in new locations, as well as increasing the severity of impacts of both indigenous and non-indigenous pests. Examples of major pest introductions and their impacts on forests can be found in Annex 1. 1 Any species, strain or biotype of plant, animal or pathogenic agent injurious to plants or plant products (ISPM No. 05, 2010, Glossary of phytosanitary terms).

12 2 Guide to implementation of phytosanitary standards in forestry 1.2 PROTECTING THE WORLD S FORESTS Successful protection of the world s plants, including forest tree species, from pests requires coordinated international action. This coordination occurs through the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), which is an international agreement between countries to control pests and prevent their spread. The IPPC s governing body is the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM), which adopts International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) 2 to prevent pest introduction and spread and facilitate trade. As of December 2010, 176 countries are contracting parties (members) to the Convention. Under the guidance of the IPPC, most governments have designated national organizations to protect natural resources, including forests, from pest entry and establishment. These are collectively referred to as national plant protection organizations (NPPOs) 3 although countries may call them plant health inspectorates, quarantine services or many other names. NPPOs frequently have to work with neighbouring countries to prevent pest entry and spread between countries. This collaboration may be through regional plant protection organizations (RPPOs). NPPOs are the official national points of contact to the IPPC, and it is the NPPOs that work together to develop ISPMs. All member countries unanimously agree that ISPMs are effective in managing pest risks and allowing safer trade. NPPOs use the ISPMs as the basis for their national phytosanitary regulations. Because they will have an impact on trade, it is important for everyone involved in forest products trade to understand how these regulations can affect them. ISPMs developed by the IPPC are recognized by the World Trade Organization (WTO), which provides a dispute resolution process for trade issues. 1.3 ABOUT THIS GUIDE Many people associated with the forest sector can play a key role in preventing the spread of pests, including those involved in growing, planting, managing, harvesting, manufacturing, storing, trading and transporting forest products. This guide is intended to help reduce human-facilitated pest spread and its impacts. It provides easy-to-understand information on ISPMs and the role of forest management practices in implementing phytosanitary standards and facilitating safe trade. Specifically it explains: how the ISPMs and NPPO regulations affect the import and export of forest commodities (Chapter 2); how people in the forest sector can reduce the risks of spreading pests through effective management approaches (Chapter 3); how ISPMs can be used to prevent forest pest introduction and spread (Chapter 4); how forest sector personnel can work together with NPPOs to contribute to the development and implementation of ISPMs and national phytosanitary 2 The titles of all existing ISPMs, and a short summary, are given in Annex 3. 3 The full list of NPPOs and their official contact persons can be found on the IPPC Web site:

13 Introduction 3 regulations that help reduce pest movement while being as least restrictive to trade as possible (Chapter 5). Each chapter has been prepared as a stand alone document allowing the reader to concentrate on the specific topics that are of interest. A glossary is also provided to further clarify the terminology used. This guide will be of vital interest to all sectors in forestry and will also benefit forestry policy-makers, planners, managers and educators, particularly in developing countries.

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15 5 2. Trade in forest commodities The volume of wood products in international trade increased 125 percent between 1992 and 2008 (FAO, 2010b). Some examples of the changes in volume of exports of particular commodities are given in Figure 1. Many countries want to promote international trade in forest commodities, but also recognize the importance of protecting plants, including forests, from pests. 4 National plant protection organizations (NPPOs) 5 should implement International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) 6 as part of their national phytosanitary regulations for imported forest commodities. NPPOs also certify, where required, that export consignments meet the phytosanitary import requirements of other countries. Import requirements for the same commodity may differ from country to country. Usually these differences are the result of variations in countries assessment of the pest risks associated with the commodity. These variations can be due to differences in forest susceptibility to pests or in the levels of pest risk which the countries accept FIGURE 1 Change in global exports of roundwood and sawnwood (million m 3 ) Coniferous roundwood Non-coniferous temperate roundwood Tropical roundwood Coniferous sawnwood Non-coniferous sawnwood Source: FAO, 2010b 4 Any species, strain or biotype of plant, animal or pathogenic agent injurious to plants or plant products (ISPM No. 05, 2010, Glossary of phytosanitary terms). 5 The full list of NPPOs and their official contact persons can be found on the IPPC Web site: 6 The titles of all existing ISPMs, and a short summary, are given in Annex 3.

16 6 Guide to implementation of phytosanitary standards in forestry (see Box 1). New ISPMs are currently being developed (see Chapter 5) to assist with the import and export of forest commodities, and to reduce pest spread. This chapter explains some aspects of how ISPMs and NPPO regulations affect the import and export of forest commodities under world trade agreements. Since import and export are closely linked, it is recommended that Sections 2.2 and 2.3 be read together. BOX 1 Logs: an example of the relationship between pest risk and phytosanitary import requirements While wood may contain many kinds of organisms, not all logs pose the same level of risk of movement, establishment and spread of forest pests. Countries may vary in their assessment of the risk associated with the import of logs depending on the area of origin, the tree species and size, the presence or absence of bark, or whether the pest(s) of concern are present and widely distributed in the country in question. Some countries do not have any phytosanitary import requirements for logs; some require phytosanitary certification based only upon visual inspection for pests. Other countries may require or accept a particular treatment and in some cases certification that treatment has been undertaken prior to export. These phytosanitary import requirements are established based upon the assessed risk of pests moving on or in the logs. For example, logs moving from tropical countries to Canada, a temperate country, might contain pests, but these will be geographically constrained, i.e. restricted to tropical climates and trees. Because Canada has no tropical forests, it also has few phytosanitary import requirements for tropical species. However, if these same logs contained pests that could establish and cause damage to important plants in the importing country, the NPPO may prescribe specific phytosanitary measures prior to export to manage this risk. Logs high risk commodity? Perceptions differ A. UZUNOVIC

17 Trade in forest commodities FOREST COMMODITIES Forest commodities are wood and non-wood products produced from plants and trees grown in forests or other wooded lands. Because of the wide range in the quality of wood and in the processes used to create forest commodities, the risk of pest infestation and the measures that can be used to manage that risk vary with different commodity types. Some examples of commodities ranked from higher to lower risk are given in Box 2. Further details on opportunities to reduce pest risk in forest commodities are given in Chapter 3. BOX 2 Forest commodities, their pest risks and risk management options Plants for planting, excluding seeds Plants for planting (nursery stock including bonsai and rooted Christmas trees) are increasingly recognized as carriers of pests, which could be associated with stem (wood and/or bark), branches, foliage, fruits/cones, roots and sometimes soil or growing media. Bonsai plants, potted Christmas trees and large trees for planting present higher risks as they have most of these plant parts. A variety of pests may move with plants for planting, including: aphids, scale insects, adelgids, bark beetles, weevils and moths; nematodes; foliar, seed, cone, root-rot and canker fungi; pathogenic oomycetes; and bacteria, viruses, viroids and phytoplasmas. Importing countries generally conduct a pest risk analysis (see Section 4.2) to identify pests of concern and ways to reduce the risks. Pest management measures that may be applied include surveillance, pest-specific surveys, identification of pest-free areas, treatments, pre-shipment inspections, and post-entry quarantine or prohibition, among others. Additional opportunities to inspect for pests could occur during handling plants for planting (including pruning, harvesting and packaging) by appropriately trained personnel. Cut branches Cut branches, including Christmas trees without roots, may carry many of the same pests as plants for planting but the risk of pest transmission to living host trees is less because they are most often used indoors. This limits their pest risk to natural environments. However, when they are discarded they may contain insects that are strong fliers or rust spores which may be easily spread by air currents and rain splash. Christmas trees are a widely used commodity and are often grown as a monoculture which increases the potential for pest outbreaks and spread. These trees are often moved during a limited portion of the year and if properly discarded may not present a risk for pest movement. Pest management measures that may be applied include pest surveys, harvesting from pest-free areas, treatments, pre-shipment inspections, safeguarded disposal after use, or prohibition, among others. continues

18 8 Guide to implementation of phytosanitary standards in forestry Roundwood/logs (related names: poles, posts, timber, pilings) Roundwood with bark is considered higher risk than roundwood that is debarked or barkfree. Both commodities can carry pests, however debarked wood is less likely to have pests that colonize bark or the portion of wood immediately below the bark. To manage insect pests living in or just under the bark of logs, bark removal, heat treatment or fumigation is generally used. For deep wood-boring insects, heat treatment or fumigation is the primary pest management measure. Irradiation could also be used where applicable. For fungal pathogens, fumigation, heat treatment and end-use processing can reduce pest risk. Visual inspection during post-harvest grading helps to selectively remove infected logs, although in some cases it is not sufficient to identify early stages of decay. Fumigants only penetrate a portion of the outer surface of the logs, and are considered less effective on logs with bark, particularly with wet bark. Sawnwood (related names: boards, lumber, timber, squared wood) Sawnwood has less risk than roundwood because sawing removes most of the bark as well as some of the outer wood thus eliminating most wood pests living in or just under the bark. The risk management measures suggested for roundwood are equally effective for sawnwood. The risk of infestation by blue-stain fungi and some wilt organisms may be managed by reducing the moisture content of the wood, e.g. kiln-drying. Wood chips The risk from wood chips depends on their size and especially on how the chips will be stored and used. Wood chips used as landscape materials could spread small insects, nematodes or fungi. Where wood chips are used for pulp production or energy generation, the processing will kill the pests. But poor conditions during transport, storage and handling prior to use may still present a risk. The smaller the wood chips, the lower the risk of most insect pests, however chipping may not lower the risk of pathogens surviving. Pest risk can be managed by heat treatment, moisture reduction of the chips, fumigation, and safeguarding during transport and storage. Fuelwood Fuelwood is often produced from low quality wood or from trees infested with various pests (i.e. bark beetles, deep wood-boring insects or fungi). Consequently, the transportation of fuelwood both domestically and internationally often spreads pests. In-country transport of fuelwood, which is often unregulated, is an efficient pathway for the spread of introduced species once they have become established in localized areas. Heat treatment or fumigation as well as proper safeguarding during transport and storage could reduce pest risk.

19 Trade in forest commodities 9 Bark Bark can carry a number of pests (e.g. insects, fungi, nematodes). Bark may be used for fuel, as landscape mulch, as a growing medium, or to produce processed wood products. Pest risk depends much on the intended use. Infested bark used as mulch or growing media presents the highest risk. Some of the measures to manage pest risk include: heat treatment, irradiation, moisture reduction, fumigation, composting, safeguarding during transport and storage, and prohibition. Wood packaging materials Wood packaging is sometimes made from low quality boards that may contain pests, either in the wood or associated with bark remnants. These have been internationally recognized as high risk. Therefore the packaging materials must be made from debarked wood (with specified tolerance), heat treated or fumigated, and marked with a specific internationally accepted mark (see Section 4.3). Wood-based panels Wood-based panels, such as veneer sheets, plywood, particleboard (including oriented strand board) and fibreboard (including medium density fibreboard), are assembled with the use of heat, pressure and glue and are generally free of primary wood pests. Check with your NPPO to see if newer processes that use cold temperatures, environmentally friendly glues and pressure are acceptable as a phytosanitary treatment. Termites or dry wood borers can infest almost any wood products after manufacture, even if heated. Inspection can be used to detect infestations. Manufactured wood products Manufactured wood products, such as handicrafts and furniture, are diverse and their risk is dependent on the origin of the wood, the species of wood, the degree of processing and the intended use. If the processing methods used are not likely to kill pests, further treatment, such as heat treatment, fumigation or irradiation, may be needed. Forest seeds Seeds can carry pests either on the surface or internally. The degree of pest risk depends on the seed pest type, origin of the seed, pest detection reliability, and storage conditions in the place of the end use. Some of the measures to manage pest risk include: monitoring at the place of origin, recognition of pest-free areas, and seed testing for pest detection. If infestation of seeds is detected, appropriate measures, such as destruction, heat, chemicals or irradiation, may be needed or the export should not be carried out. Tissue culture plants Tissue culture is generally considered the safest way to move plant propagative material. However, even these tiny plants are not completely sterile, as some have been shown to carry latent or dormant fungi, bacteria, viruses, viroids and phytoplasmas.

20 10 Guide to implementation of phytosanitary standards in forestry High risk commodities such as nursery stock often need to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate FAO/FO-6387/M. KASHIO ISPMs and national regulations apply to any item that may be infested or contaminated by pests. These regulations also apply to any organism that can serve as a vector, or could be a potential pest itself. Regulated articles may also include any equipment used to process or transport goods. Examples of such articles include logging trucks, wood handling equipment, shipping containers, barges, ships, railway cars, wood packaging materials and other storage units that are necessary to move forest commodities. 2.2 IMPORT OF FOREST COMMODITIES Contracting parties countries that are members of the IPPC have the sovereign right to make regulations to protect their resources, including forests, from the introduction and establishment of pests. For pests of concern, each country s NPPO may establish regulations that specify their phytosanitary import requirements for commodities through the use of an evaluation process called a pest risk analysis (PRA, see Section 4.2). Forest sector personnel can play an important role in assisting the NPPO to determine pest status and keep regulations up-to-date and effective by sharing pest information, supporting survey activities for pests, and providing information about new pests. NPPOs of importing countries establish phytosanitary import requirements based on an evaluation process that carefully considers all aspects of a pest s risk, including: its biology and association with the commodity; its potential to be moved in association with the trade of commodities; its potential to enter, establish and spread in the importing country;

21 Trade in forest commodities 11 its potential to cause economic and/or environmental harm if it becomes established and the resulting consequences. This process, commonly referred to as a PRA (see Section 4.2), requires an evaluation of the existing scientific evidence and technical information and may take several years to complete. Simple PRAs which take less time and resources may still provide a good understanding of the risks and enable trade with the application of appropriate pest management measures. Once the PRA is complete, the importing country may establish regulations and appropriate phytosanitary import requirements to manage the risk or prohibit the import of a consignment from a specified origin. Import requirements are decided by the importing country s NPPO, but can often be negotiated bilaterally between the NPPOs of importing and exporting countries. Import requirements may include activities to be carried out in the exporting country, in transit, or upon entry to the importing country (Box 3). BOX 3 Examples of phytosanitary measures that may be applied to forest commodities Prior to export Assurance that the commodity originates from an area or a place of production that is free of specified pests Commodity production based on specific requirements (e.g. debarking) Inspection during growing season and prior to shipment Appropriate treatment or post-harvest handling Prohibition of imports During transport Phytosanitary treatments (e.g. in-transit fumigations, chemical sprays) Safeguarding (covering or enclosing the commodity in containment) Transport within a specified period (e.g. Christmas trees may only be shipped during pest dormancy) Restrictions on transport through or storage in pest-free areas After arrival in the importing country Inspection Processing in a particular way Entry and use within a specified period or season Post-entry treatment Post-entry quarantine This is not an exhaustive list and many of these examples may be used singly or applied in combination to manage a single pest or group of pests.

22 12 Guide to implementation of phytosanitary standards in forestry Industry must comply with import and export requirements, so importers wishing to import forest commodities should initially contact the nearest office of their NPPO. Imported consignments of forest commodities, especially those considered high risk (e.g. nursery stock, seeds, untreated roundwood with bark or Christmas trees), are often required to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate which is issued by the NPPO of the exporting country (see Section 4.10). A phytosanitary certificate is a document certifying the health of the plants, plant products or commodities, or confirming treatment. It is a written statement that the consignment is compliant with, or meets, the importing country s requirements. It certifies that any measures that are required to be taken prior to export have been satisfactorily completed or that appropriate provision has been made for any measures to be applied during transport. Commodities that fail to meet the phytosanitary import requirements may be treated at the point of entry, rejected from entry to the importing country, destroyed, redirected to another country that will accept them, or returned to the exporting country. When consignments are rejected because they fail to meet the import requirements, NPPOs should notify the exporting country so that corrective actions may be taken to avoid repeat rejections (see Section 4.11). Rejected consignments may result in significant costs to both the importer and the exporter. Most countries make special arrangements to permit the entry of normally prohibited articles for academic or industrial testing, some limited industrial applications, or for small quantities of imports. These arrangements are usually developed on a case by case basis and are determined by the NPPO of the importing country. Usually the NPPO of the importing country provides a special written permit (import permit) or letter to authorize this type of limited import. Figure 2 shows the steps that may be followed to import or export forest commodities. 2.3 EXPORT OF FOREST COMMODITIES To export forest commodities, the exporter should first contact its NPPO. NPPOs have cooperative relationships with the NPPOs of countries with which they trade. Ideally, the exporting country s NPPO should have information about the phytosanitary import requirements of different countries and the steps that need to be followed in order to export goods. The exporter may also obtain details about requirements directly from the importing country s NPPO, or through the importer, who can obtain the requirements from its NPPO. Exporters should be aware that different countries may have different requirements for a commodity, even if those different countries appear to be geographically related. It is in the best interest of exporters to ensure that commodities comply with requirements prior to export. If the importing country has not developed specific phytosanitary import requirements for a particular commodity there may be a need to initiate a PRA, as

23 Trade in forest commodities 13 FIGURE 2 Steps in the import/export process for forest products Importer decides to import specific product from specific source Importer consults with local NPPO to obtain requirements to import No Import requirements already established? Yes NPPO of importing country assesses product pest risk and establishes phytosanitary import requirements No pest risks Pest risks and appropriate risk management measures identified Pest risks cannot be managed: importation is not allowed NPPO of exporting country verifies requirements and, if they are met, issues necessary documentation (e.g. phytosanitary certificate), if required Product sent with required documentation If required, NPPO and/or customs agency of importing country inspects product and documentation No Is consignment compliant with import requirements? Yes NPPO takes appropriate action to prevent pest entry: treatment, refusal, destruction, etc. Importer receives product shown in Figure 2. For that PRA, the NPPO of the importing country may request information and technical data on potential pests associated with the commodity from the NPPO of the exporting country and may even request a description of potential measures that could be applied to manage the risk of pest movement. Often the NPPO of the exporting country has more information about the forest pest issues associated with the commodity, and can cooperate with the importing

24 14 Guide to implementation of phytosanitary standards in forestry country s NPPO. This cooperative process between NPPOs may aid in the possible development of bilateral arrangements that can establish specific import requirements for a commodity from a specific region. These arrangements may also provide a mechanism for deciding whether to permit normally prohibited or regulated items to enter for scientific or industrial testing, with an alternative phytosanitary measure. For many imported forest commodities, a phytosanitary certificate is required, which must be issued by the NPPO of the exporting country. The NPPO of the exporting country makes arrangements with the exporter to verify that the import requirements (i.e. treatments, production practices) have been met and to conduct any required inspections. Some activities required in support of phytosanitary certificates, such as periodic inspections during the production cycle and integrated pest management activities, may be more effectively carried out by foresters, under the NPPO authority, during the handling and processing of harvested wood (see Chapter 3). The NPPO of the exporting country may conduct inspections or it may delegate them to an authorized organization or individual under the NPPO s control and responsibility. In some cases, where commodities move from one country to a second country and then to a third country, a re-export phytosanitary certificate may be issued by the NPPO in the second country to meet the requirements of the final destination country (see Section 4.10). Under bilateral agreements, other certificates, such as treatment certificates or manufacturer s declarations, are sometimes used as an alternative, or in addition to, the phytosanitary certificate. These certificates often contain only a portion of the information required on a phytosanitary certificate, such as when, where and how a specific treatment was applied. NPPOs of some countries require an import permit which specifies their phytosanitary import requirements and authorizes the importation of the commodity. Usually, the importer is responsible for obtaining an import permit and providing the details to the NPPO of the exporting country through the exporter. Certain processed forest commodities (e.g. plywood, fibreboard) are recognized to pose less pest risk, and so may be exempted from certain requirements. The NPPO may require certification of the kind of processing completed for the product that qualifies for these exemptions. Some general guidance to NPPOs is available on the types of forestry commodities that may not require a phytosanitary certificate as a result of processing and the intended use. 7 In addition to the phytosanitary regulations of an importing country, there may be other requirements including those arising from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other international agreements. In some cases, these separate requirements may be administered by an authority other than the 7 Annex 1 of ISPM No. 32 (2009), Categorization of commodities according to their pest risk, provides guidance on the risks associated with certain processed commodities according to their pest risk.

25 Trade in forest commodities 15 Trucks loaded with logs and semi-processed wood are transported by ferry in Brazil FAO/CFO000566/R. FAIDUTTI NPPO. Some exporting countries may also require permits for the export of viable materials, such as those with potential to provide useful medicinal drugs. In addition to forest products themselves, equipment used to harvest or transport forest commodities may pose a risk for the movement of forest pests. Increasingly NPPOs are establishing import requirements for the entry of such equipment. Containers and other storage units could also be contaminated with pests, soil or forest commodity waste (i.e. branches, leaves, plant debris). These should be cleaned after use and the contaminant materials disposed of in a manner that effectively manages risks such as burning, deep burial, or reprocessing into other commodities. Note that in some countries, local environmental or waste management regulations may influence decisions on how material may be treated or disposed of. The relevant authority should be consulted before proceeding.

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27 17 3. Good practices for forest health protection Forests are ecosystems that are composed of all forms of life. Insects and microorganisms live in and on trees, exploiting their leaves, bark, wood and roots for shelter and food. Forest products are therefore likely to contain these organisms at any time. Many species that are considered pests 8 in some importing countries may not be considered pests in their native range. Thus, while it is obvious that a forest that is undergoing a disease or insect outbreak poses a more immediate threat to international trade, products from a healthy forest may also pose a pest risk. Nevertheless, good forest health should be a minimum aim of sound commercial forest management. Keeping forests healthy requires careful planning throughout all of the resource management phases from planting or regeneration to harvest. Harvest planning should include careful consideration of what will likely grow back and how the next generation of forest will be managed. This chapter provides basic information on integrated pest management (IPM) as well as pest management practices for all of the phases of, and sites involved in, forest resource management, including: forest operations: planning, harvest and transportation; forest nurseries; planted forests; naturally regenerated forests; post-harvest treatments and sawmills; product transportation and distribution. Many of the suggested practices, such as sanitation, surveillance, and quick reporting to the national plant protection organization (NPPO), 9 are applicable and good for all phases of forest management. These management options can be selected and adapted to individual conditions. It should be noted that, in some countries and in some situations, it may not be possible to implement all of these best practices, particularly after natural disasters and unexpected events which may create economic constraints and the need for immediate actions such as salvage. 3.1 INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT FOR FORESTRY The most effective way to deal with forest pests is integrated pest management (IPM). IPM can be defined as a combination of prevention, observation and suppression measures that can be ecologically and economically efficient and socially 8 Any species, strain or biotype of plant, animal or pathogenic agent injurious to plants or plant products (ISPM No. 05, 2010, Glossary of phytosanitary terms). 9 The full list of NPPOs and their official contact persons can be found on the IPPC Web site:

28 18 Guide to implementation of phytosanitary standards in forestry Release of Pauesia parasitoids for biocontrol of cypress aphid, Cinara cupressivora, in western Kenya BUGWOOD.ORG/W.M. CIESLA/ acceptable, in order to maintain pest populations at a suitable level. Prevention may include proper tree, variety and site selection, natural regeneration, and planting and thinning practices that reduce pest populations and favour sustainable control by natural enemies. Careful monitoring of pest populations, for example through visual inspection or trapping systems, determines when control activities are needed. For suppression, mechanical control, biological control through the use of natural enemies and biopesticides, or other sustainable control methods are preferred over synthetic pesticides. IPM relies on understanding the biology of the tree, forest and pest as well as the biology of natural control agents that can help keep pests under control. Therefore, for IPM to be effective, field staff must be trained to recognize pests, monitor population levels and use biological control agents and other suitable control methods. Biological control through the use of natural enemies is an essential component of IPM. Beneficial natural enemies may be promoted by suitable silvicultural practices (biological control by conservation) or by supplemental releases (biological control by augmentation), the latter including also the use of biological pesticides, based on microbial diseases of pests and weeds. A third approach commonly used in forestry, classical biological control, consists of controlling non-indigenous pests and weeds by importing natural enemies (parasitoids or predators or pathogens for pests; arthropod herbivores and phytopathogens for weeds) from their country of origin. This approach has been carried out successfully for well over a century. However, over the years, practitioners have become increasingly aware that introduced biological control agents may have undesirable side-effects.

29 Good practices for forest health protection 19 Initially, this concern was limited to the possible impact of these introduced agents on economically important plants and insects (notably honey bees, silk moths and weed biological control agents). More recently, increased environmental awareness has drawn attention to the potential danger to all indigenous fauna and flora, particularly rare and endangered species. ISPM No. 03 provides guidelines for the safe use of exotic natural enemies in biological control programmes. When considering biological control agents, it is vitally important to have information on the pest (its identification, importance and known natural enemies), the natural enemy (identification, biology, host specificity, hazards to non-target hosts, natural enemies and possible contaminants, and procedures for their elimination), and human and animal health and safety issues. Ultimately the decision whether to use a biological control agent may depend on economics and science-based estimates of the likely results of biological control agent introduction versus the economic and environmental costs of other control options, such as pesticides, or doing nothing and accepting the losses due to the pest. 3.2 FOREST OPERATIONS Forest operations personnel can minimize pest movement through careful operational planning, harvesting, wood storage and transport (see also Section 3.8). The movement of pests from the harvest location to the processing site can be prevented during timber marking and harvesting, particularly when wood volume and quality are evaluated. Personnel should be trained to recognize and report unusual pests and symptoms of diseased or infested trees, and to carry out practices that reduce the risk of pest populations moving to other locations. Debarking infested logs can help avoid the spread pests from the harvesting site to the processing site; here workers remove bark from logs infested with the southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis, in Honduras FAO/FO-6064/R. BILLINGS